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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933101">Those Who Wait</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fudgelingzwodder/pseuds/fudgelingzwodder'>fudgelingzwodder</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Aftermath [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hadestown - Mitchell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Character Study, Eurydice Character Study, Just exploring their dynamic a bit, Post-Canon, This isn't shipping Hades and Eurydice at all</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:20:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,778</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23933101</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fudgelingzwodder/pseuds/fudgelingzwodder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"It was a long walk back to Hadestown, especially for someone as upset as Eurydice. They’d been so close. They had been so fucking close."</p><p>Eurydice goes back, and finds an unexpected ally.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eurydice &amp; Hades (Hadestown)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Aftermath [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725172</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a long walk back to Hadestown, especially for someone as upset as Eurydice. They’d been so close. They had been so fucking close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once Orpheus was out of sight for good, she had crumpled to the ground and cried for what felt like forever. Sobbed until she couldn’t anymore, until her throat was raw and her eyes were stinging. Even after she’d stopped crying, she stayed on the ground for a while, trying to pull herself together. She had to go back. She had to go back and face everyone, everyone who had stood with them and cheered them on. She would have to face Lord Hades himself, and tell him they’d failed. Hades, who had trapped them in this situation in the first place. Bastard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was only the far-off whistle of the train that made her realize how long she’d been sitting in the dirt, bouncing the same angry thoughts around in her head. She stood back up shakily, brushing herself off, with a sigh. She had half a mind to start back towards the surface, consequences be damned, but she knew she couldn’t. Eurydice wasn’t many things, but she was a woman of her word, and they’d made a deal. As upset as she was, they’d made a deal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She started the trek back down, listening to the train get further and further away. At least the old bastard was letting Lady Persephone go back up to the surface for spring. Not everything they’d done was in vain. Wouldn’t do much good for them down here, but it would help the folks up top. It would help Orpheus--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nope. Had to shut that train of thought down real quick, or she would start crying again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice walked slowly back through the gates, and tried her damndest to look more composed than she felt. She could feel the eyes of the workers on her, the murmurs spreading through the crowd. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knew it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Knew it was too good to be true.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was impossible.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She squeezed her eyes shut, taking a breath as the murmuring got louder. What was she supposed to say to that? She couldn’t argue with them; they were right. She and Orpheus had failed. They hadn’t passed the test. They hadn’t been strong enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Young lady!” A gravelly voice boomed out over the crowd, and the workers parted hastily, turning their faces away. Eurydice sniffled, opening her eyes to see Hades himself striding towards her, and steeled herself. She wouldn’t cry again, especially not in front of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades’ eyes were narrowed, his expression hard, but Eurydice thought she saw something in it shift when he took a good look at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come with me.” He offered no explanation, just turned around and started walking. “The rest of you, show’s over! Get back to work.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crowd of workers dispersed, still shooting glances at Eurydice as they went. Left alone, she had no choice but to follow Hades, jogging a little to keep up with his brisk walk. They continued on like that, Hades striding ahead and Eurydice stumbling along behind, until they ended up in his office. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades shut the door behind them, and Eurydice couldn’t stop the shiver that ran up her spine. “Wh--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sit down,” he interrupted, motioning to the seat in front of his desk. Eurydice shut her mouth and sat down, her mind whirring. What was he playing at? She sat stiffly, watching him out of the corner of her eye as he moved around the office. She couldn’t see what he was doing behind her, but she could hear the clinking of glass, and tensed up. Still, she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of turning around to stare. So she stared straight ahead, clenching and unclenching her hands against her thighs. Not gonna get upset. She was not gonna get upset.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades walked back over to his desk, footsteps heavy on the wood floors, and held something out to Eurydice. “Here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up to see him holding out...a glass of water? What? She took it after a moment, staring down into the glass. It didn’t look like anything suspicious, just water with a good bit of ice, so she sipped at it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um, thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades leaned back against his desk, still facing Eurydice, and nodded. He didn’t say anything else, and his staring was getting uncomfortable. She shifted, clutching the water glass with both hands and taking another sip. She still didn’t know what he was trying to accomplish, and it was making her uneasy. Combined with the fact that her face still hurt from crying and her emotions felt like a wrung-out sponge, she really just wanted to leave. She wanted to go back to the damn barracks and sleep until she forgot a little bit of what happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You alright?” Hades rumbled, arms still folded. Eurydice blinked, looking at him properly. He was scowling a little, but that was also just his face. Mostly impassive, but with something behind his eyes she couldn’t quite identify. Even so, she couldn’t tamp down the anger that flared at his question. The man who had started this whole damn thing was trying to pity her, and she wasn’t having it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I alright? Seriously, that's what you’ve got right now?! No, I’m not alright, actually!” she snapped, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. “You schemin’ bastard, you--!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wasn’t a scheme.” Hades spoke calmly, his expression barely changing, and somehow that made Eurydice even angrier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why not just let us go?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You signed a contract, young lady. Contracts have power. Can’t just undo somethin’ like that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bullshit. You’re the king of this place! You made the contracts, you could unmake ‘em if you really wanted to.” Eurydice scrubbed harshly at her eyes, scowling. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I had that kinda power, I wouldn’t have to bother with contracts at all. I make some of the rules, yes, but not all of ‘em. Some things are even older than I am. A contract is a contract, bindin’ to both parties. It wasn’t just your hands that were tied when that boy came down here.” Hades was still speaking calmly, but the furrow in his brow was getting more pronounced, his tone pitching a little lower. He reminded Eurydice of a wild dog, wary but still on the prowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why should I believe you, huh? You can say whatever you want, and it doesn’t matter. Not like I can do anythin’ about it either way. I’m stuck here no matter what the details are.” She clenched her teeth hard, cutting herself off. As angry as she was, it wasn’t a good idea to antagonize him. Wild dogs were liable to snap, however methodical they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Suppose you’re right. Which is why I’m not botherin’ to lie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why say anythin’ at all? Why bring me here? What do you want from me?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades was silent, giving Eurydice a long look. She scowled, brushing at her angry tears again, and he looked away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I know how it feels,” he said quietly, his voice low and rough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You what?” Eurydice let out a sharp laugh. “How the hell would you know how I’m feelin’ right now?! You have no idea--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know how it feels to be left behind.” Hades looked back at her, meeting her gaze, and there was such a deep sadness behind his eyes that it made her pause. Orpheus had been right. The King of the Underworld did have a heart, and it was aching. There was a grief that Eurydice could scarcely comprehend evident in the man in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know how it feels, to do everythin’ you can to keep someone with ya’ and have it not be enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know what to say in the face of that sadness, and looked away. “...it still ain’t the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it ain’t. But I think it’s close enough, don’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice didn’t say anything, staring down at her hands. Hades exhaled, straightening up and adjusting his vest before taking a seat behind his desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...you can stay here as long as you want, ‘till the gossip dies down. Folks’ll get tired of talkin’ sooner than you think.” He wasn’t looking at her, picking up a stack of paperwork, but it didn’t feel like a dismissal. It felt like an offering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice sat there a long time. She watched Hades for a while, bent low over his desk as he worked away, the only sound the scratching of his pen against the papers spread out in front of him. Alone in the darkened office, she could see behind the hardened exterior of the King to the working man beneath. His exhaustion was etched into the lines of his face, the tension of his shoulders, the way he occasionally grumbled or sighed at his work without seeming to realize it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite everything, she felt a spark of pity for him that she hadn’t expected. She’d spent her whole life fighting to survive, working hard for every scrap as the Fates themselves conspired against her. Eurydice had envied men like Hades, who had everything she fought so hard for without so much as lifting a finger. Who didn’t have to struggle like she did, like so many others did. She assumed he had it easy. But that wasn’t quite right, was it? Hades had so much, but yet so little. He didn’t have to fight the way Eurydice had, but he wasn’t just sitting in his steel fortress either. He was laboring alone in this office like the workers labored below, in a different way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eventually Eurydice dropped her head into her hands. She listened to Hades work, trying not to think, and if he heard her quiet sobs he was kind enough not to mention it.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is kind of a prequel to something else I'm working on right now, but reads fine on its own! I really like the comparisons that Hadestown draws between Hades and Eurydice and I wanted to explore that. I'll probably update this with more snippets as they come to me, but feel free to leave any prompts too! I'm enjoying writing for the first time in a while and I'm trying to chase it lol. Thanks!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Eurydice hadn’t expected to come back to Hades’s office after she left that evening. She had made her way back to the barracks, tucked herself into her corner bunk, and stayed there for the majority of the next few days. When she finally gathered the courage to speak to the other workers, though, they got to talking. She had expected that they would all be upset with her, and with Orpheus, for failing to make it out. They had every right to be. But, on the whole, they weren’t. They were kinder than Eurydice had hoped, and it set the gears turning in her mind. They couldn’t leave, true, but they could try to make things better in other ways. It hadn’t been easy at first, but once she got her hands on a pen and paper the words flowed smoothly. She met with most of the workers, gathering input, and in about a week they had a sizable petition going. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which was how she found herself standing in front of Hades’s large office doors again. It was a unanimous decision that she should be the one to actually go speak to the man. After all, she had been one of the catalysts for this whole thing, and she had survived a few run-ins with Hades already. Eurydice didn’t know the protocol for something like this, so she had walked into the office building as if she owned the place, chin up and folder tucked under her arm. No one questioned her, and why would they? No one would dare enter the offices without a reason to be there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice knocked on the heavy doors, taking a deep breath. Composure. She had a whole factory standing behind her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come in,” a voice boomed, and Eurydice opened the doors, striding in. Hades was clearly surprised to see her, blinking as he looked up. “What’re you doin’ here, girl?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here to speak to you.” She sat down across from his desk, squaring her shoulders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades eyed her, his expression guarded. That wary dog again, assessing the situation. “I gathered that. Didn’t think you and I had anythin’ else to talk about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This isn’t personal.” Eurydice opened the folder on her lap, pulling out a stack of hand-written documents. “I’m here as a representative for the workers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you now?” He raised a brow, giving her a look. “I’ll tell you what, young lady, you’ve got some nerve. What the hell makes you think you can come in here and make demands of me? You, and all the rest, are here for good, and that ain’t gonna change.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that.” She took a deep breath, pushing past the clear dismissal. “But it goes both ways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades had already gone back at his papers, but paused, glancing back up at her. “Excuse me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard me. We’re all stuck down here with you, but that means that you’re stuck here with us, too. We can make things pretty difficult for you, don’t ya’ think?” She could see the moment Hades realized what she meant, and let herself smile. “So I think it’s in everyone's best interest that you hear us out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades leaned back, folding his arms, and Eurydice swore she saw a smile flash across his face. “Well played, young lady. Alright, I’ll bite. What do y’all want?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice took a breath, and started talking, outlining the terms that she and the other workers had laid out. It was a long list, but Hades didn’t push back or interrupt like Eurydice had been expecting. He mostly listened, arms still folded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leafed through the documents she had brought, the furrow in his brow deepening as he thought. “You put this together yourself?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I--” Eurydice paused, not sure if she should be offended or not. His tone was hard to decipher. “Yes, I did. Is that a problem?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked between her and the stack of papers. “How’d you get access to the budgets you put in here? Those are confidential, and you sure as hell didn’t sneak by me to get ‘em.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice paused for a moment, confused, before it clicked. In order to negotiate for fairer working hours and reduce the number of active factories, she’d done some calculations to try and guess at the factory profits. “Oh! Those were just estimates, based on trade values and average outputs of the factories. I know it ain’t exact, but I figured it’d be close enough, and adjustments could be made where needed. It was just to--”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You estimated all this?” Hades interrupted, staring at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know what he was getting at, and her eyes narrowed. “Yes? It was just to show that the profit margin is huge, and the town could afford to shut some factories down and cut hours. Especially considering how much money’s already been made--what?” Hades was still staring at her, and it was starting to tick her off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He set the papers down, raising a brow. “Where the hell did you learn how to do this? You’re better at accountin’ when you guessed at the figures than a lot of folks are with everything laid out for ‘em. Not to mention how accurate your guesses are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice blinked. That hadn’t been what she was expecting. “It just makes sense, I guess? I’ve done a lot of trading.” That much was true. She definitely knew how to haggle, and she knew the value of what she bought. She counted every cent she had, and knew what something was actually worth versus someone trying to rip you off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm.” Hades was quiet for a long moment, leaning back in his chair. “Tell you what, young lady. Why don’t you come back tomorrow evenin’, let's say five o’clock, and we can make a deal. I’ve got some things to think about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice nodded, standing. “Alright, then. Five o’clock.” She could feel his gaze on her as she left, but she kept her chin up. He had listened, and that was more than he would’ve done two weeks ago.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I figure that Eurydice would've had to learn a lot of things herself, but she's gotten by a long time by herself so she's pretty smart. Speaking from experience, budgeting is something you have to get reaaaally good at when you're poor. Anyways, thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>As soon as she left Hades’s office, Eurydice had been bombarded by questions from her fellow workers. She did her best to recount their meeting, but after telling the tale a dozen times she was starting to get overwhelmed. She made excuses until she found a quiet corner to herself, sitting down to think. Hades had said he had a lot to think about, but she would bet that she had more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had no idea what might be going through that bastard’s head, which was the most worrying part. He hadn’t dismissed her, no, and he hadn’t started yelling. From what she’d gathered, that was a better response than anyone expected. For all that Eurydice had dealt directly with the King since she arrived in Hadestown, there were workers who had been there for centuries. There was no way that she could gauge Hades’s reactions better than they could. If they thought this was a good sign, then she would take them at their word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hadn’t thrown her out of that big office. Hell, Hades had complimented her, in that backwards way that men in power did when you proved you weren’t as stupid as they thought. But Eurydice still didn’t know what to do with that. For all of her survival skills, she wasn’t built for problem solving like this. If she ended up somewhere hopeless, she got out as fast as she could. She’d never stuck around long enough to try and fix something. Even with Orpheus, she had turned tail and run when things got tough--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nope. Couldn’t go there. Not yet. That wound hadn’t had time to clot yet, much less scab over. Eurydice forced herself to her feet, starting to walk. She had done this countless times in the past. Whenever she felt overwhelmed, she started walking. She didn’t know where she was going, but the movement helped. Focus on her steps, the rhythmic sound of her footfalls, the warmth seeping through her old coat from the forges. Don’t think, just walk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice walked for hours. She started through the town itself before heading for the rocky cliffs that circled it, hiking up the uneven terrain. She wasn’t trying to leave, no, she knew better than that. She just needed to get away from the bright lights, the stifling heat. Needed a moment to breathe. Even with her heightened endurance, one of the few perks of being dead, she was panting by the time she stopped to sit down. From her high vantage point, Hadestown looked surprisingly small. A single bright light in the darkness of the Underworld. Eurydice had to admit that she could see the appeal, the beauty of that little spark surrounded by shadow. Hadestown sure as hell wasn’t beautiful up close, but maybe it had been once. It had potential. She sighed as she got back up, brushing herself off. Maybe it could be that way again, with a nudge in the right direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been after midnight by the time she’d gotten back to the barracks, which meant that Eurydice slept right through the start of her first shift. She had panicked when she woke up late, but one of the older workers had left a note sitting where she’d folded her work clothes. They would cover her shift today, since she had her meeting with Hades that evening. It was a nice sentiment, but Eurydice kind of wished they hadn’t. Working would’ve been something to distract her, something to help the hours fly by without her having to think. With her schedule unexpectedly clear until five o’clock rolled around, she felt like she was going to lose her mind. She had never been good at waiting around. She reviewed the documents that they had put together, paying special attention to her accounting estimates. They had been what Hades had taken notice of, after all. After triple-checking, Eurydice was confident that she could stand behind her calculations, and had several imaginary arguments where she defended them to the King. Was she overthinking it? Maybe. Probably. But being paranoid had saved her more than once, so why stop now? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Predictably, she was early. Eurydice had deliberately slowed down, and she still managed to get there with five minutes to spare. She was debating with herself on whether to wait or go pace somewhere else when the double doors swung open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades himself was on the other side, and he gave her a once over before nodding. “Punctual. Good,” he grunted, stepping back. “C’mon, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice followed him inside, taking the seat across from his desk as he shut the doors behind her. It didn’t unnerve her as much as it had the first couple times, but she still had to clench her teeth to stay still. Don’t show weakness, especially in front of this man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in question sat down at his desk, lacing his fingers together. He looked at her for a long moment, not saying anything. Eurydice didn’t know what he could be looking for, but she sat up straight and met his gaze until Hades nodded again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, young lady. I’ve been lookin’ over your terms here.” He picked up the packet she had left with him the day before, and she was startled to see annotations in red ink along the margins. It looked like Hades had been busy, and from what she could tell he had absolutely awful handwriting. Not what she had expected, but sure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Over the course of about an hour, Eurydice and Hades went over each major point of their demands. There was back and forth, but overall the King was more receptive than she had expected him to be. He was reluctant to give an inch, but Eurydice was a very good haggler, and the two of them were able to reach a few compromises that would benefit both the workers and the town. Eurydice had bluntly called out a few of Hades’s suggestions that were obviously only for his benefit, but she had the knowledge to back herself up. He didn’t push back as hard as she expected when she did, either. Just watched for a moment before he pried her for more information. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Hades exhaled, flipping over the papers on his desk and leaning back. ‘You know what you’re talkin’ about, young lady.” It was as close to a compliment as the man was likely to give, so Eurydice took it, nodding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, do we have a deal?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades chuckled. “I believe we do. I just have one thing I’d like to add. One condition.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice felt her heart drop into her stomach, taking in a sharp breath before she could stop herself. Really? After all of this? She should’ve expected this. She should’ve known to watch out for a snake like Hades. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d like to reassign you,” the King continued, either not noticing or not caring about her reaction. His sharp gaze told her that it was probably the latter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Reassign me,” Eurydice repeated slowly. “What does that mean.” She kept herself very still, folding her hands in her lap to stop them from shaking. She was going to have to pay some kind of price for this, wasn’t she. He was going to throw her down a mineshaft somewhere, a hole in the ground for her to rot. Fuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think your skills lie outside the mines, don’t you?” He gestured to the paperwork in front of him. “You’ve got a knack for the administrative side of things. And I could use a hand around here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stared at him for a long moment before letting out a noise that might’ve been a laugh. “You want a secretary.” A pretty little bird in a pretty little cage to set up in the corner of his office. Fuck that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hades scoffed as Eurydice’s blood started to boil. “If I wanted a secretary, I’d pull anyone that could hold a pen. No, what I’m lookin’ for is more than that. Let’s call it an assistant. Someone to actually help me keep the place running, not just sit around and write down what I tell ‘em.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And why would I want that?” She was trying very hard to keep her tone even, her breathing slow and deliberate. She must’ve struck a nerve with Hades, though. Eurydice could see the subtle twitching in his jaw, the very same movement that she was trying not to make. He exhaled slowly, leaning his chin on his hand as he looked at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I’m out of touch,” Hades said simply. He looked like he was going to leave it at that until he saw the confusion on Eurydice’s face. He sighed again, suddenly looking more tired than he had during the negotiations.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m an old man, ruling an old kingdom, with young citizens.” His voice had gone low and quiet, but Eurydice could hear every word. “Folks were unhappy for a long time, and I--I was out of touch. But you, girl, you’re young. You know these people, and you know business. They need someone like you makin’ sure the town runs smoothly for them, too.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice could read between the lines and hear what Hades couldn’t say, that the King himself needed her. That he was afraid he would slip back into his old habits and drive it all to ruin. She thought about the look in his eyes when Orpheus had sung for him, the gentle way that he’d held Persephone, as if he was going to break her. She thought about the sadness in his eyes the night she had come back to Hadestown. The silence stretched between them, and all Eurydice could think about was a man who’d always clung too tight trying to loosen his grip without letting it all slip through his fingers. He would need help, or it would start all over again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...alright. When do I start?”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry it's been so long with this one! My intention has been to bounce between fics I'm writing, but I got a little stuck with this chapter so it took a while. Thanks for reading, I appreciate it!</p><p>(Songs I thought of/looped while writing this: Young Man In America by our own Anaïs Mitchell, and The Devil Wears a Suit and Tie by Colter Wall. I think they work well for Hades and/or Eurydice, and I'd recommend both of them, along with the album of the same name by Anaïs)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It took time, because everything does. The King of Spades wasn’t known for changing. He’d built himself a damn fortress over the years, and it wasn’t going to come down overnight. Eurydice knew that going into this job, but damn if it wasn’t frustrating. She often ended up pacing around the office during their conversations, trying not to tear her hair out. Today was one of those days.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You brought me here to give you advice, and you ignore me when I actually give it,” Eurydice snapped, whirling to glare at him. Hades sat steady behind his desk, but after a few weeks of working with him she saw the way his hands twitched. “Make up your mind, old man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Boss’s jaw definitely clenched at that, and he scratched at his thumb in what Eurydice’s started to recognize as a nervous tick. He didn’t say anything, just gave her a scowl that would send a lesser shade running. Eurydice was not a lesser shade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m serious,” she warned. “You’ve gotta talk to me, or this whole thing ain’t gonna work.” She folded her arms and scowled right back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something in his expression shifted, and he let out a long exhale. He mumbled something under his breath that Eurydice didn’t quite catch, and she stomped her foot once to get his attention, pointing at her ear when he looked up at her. Hades’s mumbling was a frequent enough occurrence that they’d developed a system for when she needed him to repeat himself. Sometimes he wouldn’t say it again, giving her a shake of his head, and Eurydice knew to drop it. She’d never know if she didn’t ask, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...said you sounded like my wife,” he muttered after a moment, looking back at his desk. Eurydice kept her expression carefully neutral, watching as Hades stacked and restacked his files. Another nervous tick. She sat back down across from him and waited for him to look back at her before she spoke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good. She’s got a good head on her shoulders.” Eurydice kept her tone light. She wasn’t trying to rub salt in the wound, not today. Hades stayed silent, though, and she grit her teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I bet she’d agree with me.” Maybe a little salt. He deserved that for the hell he was giving her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Suppose she would,” Hades said quietly. He drummed his fingers on the edge of his desk before leaning back, giving Eurydice another look. Softer than what he’d given her a minute ago, but not by much. She was getting damn sick of all his looks. Eurydice wanted to hit him with her folder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened it instead, waving the papers in front of Hades until he took them, and they started all over again. They’d settled into a sort of routine over the past few weeks. Eurydice snapped at him to let off steam, sure, but they were both pragmatists at heart. Hades rarely rose to the way she baited him, anyways. He was focused on his work in a way that reminded Eurydice, uncomfortably, of herself. Poring over the documents with the King of the Mines, Eurydice understood him more than she had when Orpheus--</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, don’t go there. That was still too raw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>---</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a month after Eurydice became the Boss’s assistant that she finally asked him something that’s been needling her ever since he looked over her budget estimates. They were taking lunch in the office, again, trying to catch up on paperwork. Always the fucking paperwork.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y’know,” she started, keeping her tone casual. “I’ve never seen a rich man count coins before.” She focused on her sandwich, but watched Hades out of the corner of her eye. He paused, mug of coffee halfway to his mouth, and slowly put it down without drinking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And?” His voice was low, a gentle warning. Eurydice shrugged, chewing her sandwich. Sometimes, if she just waited and didn’t push, he would keep talking. So she waited. He took a sip of his coffee before setting it down harder than before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wasn’t always a rich man,” the King finally grumbled, and she could practically hear the quotation marks as he tossed her words back at her. Eurydice raised her brows, turning to look at him straight on. He picked his coffee back up with an air of finality, but she wasn’t willing to let this one go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, right. You’ve been King down here for how long now?” She propped her chin on her hand, skeptical. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Since before the world began.” He was facing her, but she could tell he was thinking of something else, his gaze distant. Hades shook his head, blinking, and his scowl returned. “Believe it or not, girl, I didn’t spring from these stones. There are things older than you can comprehend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try me.” Eurydice doesn’t flinch, brow still raised. She could tell he wanted her to leave it well enough alone, but she’d always been nosy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard me.” She waved a hand at him, motioning for him to continue. “Go on and explain, and we’ll see if I comprehend it or not.” They locked eyes, and it was Hades that looked away first. He stared into his mug before draining it in a single fluid motion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...suppose it ain’t that much to explain. I had a life before the Underworld, and it wasn’t a pleasant one.” He gave her a meaningful look, and continued without elaborating. “Even being down here as long as I have, there are habits a person doesn’t kick. Just in case.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In case, what, the walls come cavin’ in and destroy the town? Because that’s about the only way you’d go broke,” Eurydice snorted. “I’ve seen the ledgers. You’ve got more than enough.” It took her a second to see the look on Hades’s face, and another to recognize it for what it was. Fear. She’d seen that expression mirrored on her own too many times to count. Oh, shit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And what would you do, girl?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eurydice opened her mouth, but nothing came out. The question hit her in a way she wasn’t expecting. She wanted to blurt out that she would never be like him, that no one in their right mind ever would be, but something stopped her. She owed it to him, and to herself, to be honest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What would she do? If she was handed the key to a kingdom, would she truly settle for that? Or would she keep reaching, keep climbing, keep trying to take more? She could see both paths, one driven by hope and one by fear. Fear had always been her motivator, a familiar friend that shadowed her steps. Fear followed her as she jumped from town to town, fear spurred her on when the winds started to change. Hell, it was fear that sent her on the train to Hadestown in the first place. Fear was something she’d never expected to have in common with the Lord of the Underground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” she said at last, because she had to say something. It didn’t come close to what she was feeling, but Hades nodded, a regret as old as the world etched in his face. Eurydice felt her expression twist into something similar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They worked the rest of the day in silence.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I highly recommend checking out Anaïs Mitchell's album Young Man in America, specifically Wilderland and the title track. I listened to that a lot writing this, and a lot of Anaïs's older versions of the Hadestown songs.<br/>Disclaimer that I probably should've made earlier: I think Hades is a really interesting character and I enjoy writing him and exploring that but capitalism is still super evil lol.<br/>Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The soles of Eurydice’s boots were starting to wear with all the pacing she was doing, and damn it, she liked her boots. She knew that it didn’t matter much down here, she could pick up another pair easily enough, but it was a sign she needed to find a new hobby. She had been the one to negotiate shorter working hours with the Boss, but a small part of her wished she hadn’t. There was something to be said about the value of a good distraction. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately for her, though, Hades knew what someone throwing themselves into work to avoid their feelings looked like. Saw it every time he looked in the damn mirror. So he stayed firm on making her clock out when the workday ended, refusing to let her bring extra paperwork home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re gonna thank me later, girl,” he grumbled, shooing her out of the office at closing time and locking the door behind them. “It’s a bad habit, and a worse one to kick.” Eurydice knew he was right, but that didn’t make her any less pissed at him. She got her revenge by making him leave his paperwork behind, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Since she had nothing else to do, she’d taken to wandering the town when she couldn’t sleep, which was most of the time. The lights didn’t shine as bright during off-hours anymore, so she stuck to the main roads, staying mindful of her footing along the cobblestones. There was a streetlamp down the road that was brighter than the rest, casting light onto an unfamiliar building, and she found herself walking towards it. She tried to peer in the windows, but they were heavily tinted. Which was odd for what clearly wasn’t an administrative building. She hesitated, but tried the door. It swung open easily.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“C’mon in, young lady!” A familiar voice called, and Eurydice blinked, putting a hand up to shield her eyes from the light pouring out of the room. An arm went around her shoulders, steering her inside and closing the door behind them. She blinked again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wh--Mister Hermes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grinned at her, ushering them both to the bar, and all but shoved her into a seat. Gently, of course. “In the flesh, sister. Good to see you! Was wonderin’ when you’d show up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I--” Eurydice stared at him before glancing around, trying to get her bearings. She gripped the smooth wood of the bartop, running her fingers back and forth along the grain. It felt solid enough. This was probably real, then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why are you here?” As soon as the words left her mouth she cringed. She’d always been direct, but that was too blunt even for her. Too much time with the Boss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermes didn’t seem to take offense, though, shaking his head with a chuckle. “It’s in the job description. Spend some time up top, make a trip down, spend some time down here. Oughta call me a cycle-pomp instead, all the runnin’ back and forth I gotta do.” He laughed at his own joke, but Eurydice didn’t, still reeling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wait, wait, so you’ve been back up top?” The implications of that made her heart stutter in her heart. Had he seen Persephone? Was Spring really back? Was everyone okay? Had he seen--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhm.” Hermes hesitated. “Girl, I won’t lie to you. That bein’ said, I don’t want you to ask me anything tonight.” He put a hand up as Eurydice opened her mouth, cutting her off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want you to really think about what you wanna ask me, and if you really want the answers. I won’t lie, but I’m not gonna have you use me to hurt yourself, you feel me?” He gave her a piercing look, and damn him, he was more perceptive than he let on. “Is that fair?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She let out a long breath, staring at her hands. She wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him until he told her--shit, she didn’t even know what. Something. Anything. Which was exactly why he was giving her this condition.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...yeah, that’s fair.” It wasn’t, really. None of this was fair. But she could see his point.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good.” He clapped her on the shoulder, grin back in place. “Glad that’s settled. Now, you busy?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I could use a hand back here,” he offered, gesturing to the space behind the bar. “Our dear Lady’s never been organized a day in her life, and she left in a hurry. Plus, I ain’t here all the time. Could use someone else helpin’ me hold down the fort.” He raised a brow at her, and she stared back. What?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t be here all the time either,” she said eventually, struggling to find the words without getting nasty. Why did someone always want something from her down here? Well, she knew why, but it still left a bad taste in her mouth. “I have a job. With Hades. If he finds out I’m here he’s gonna--what?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermes was chuckling in earnest now, leaning against the bar. “Girl, you think he don’t know about this place? Please. This whole damn town’s his.” He pointed at the lights that hummed along the ceiling. “You really think he doesn’t notice?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had a point. She’d seen the way the lights in the office flickered when the Boss got irritated, or shone brighter when he was focusing. The tremors that shook the windows when he yelled. Most telling was the way he went over the paperwork, checking and rechecking until he could practically recite the contracts from memory. When she really thought about it, there was no way a man like that didn’t know about the speakeasy right under his nose. She could make a guess as to why he kept his mouth shut about it, too. Eurydice took a moment and filed that away in her slowly-growing mental folder about Hades.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Even if he turns a blind eye, I don’t think he could ignore me skippin’ work to man the bar. Who said I want to, anyways?” She folded her arms, the sour taste back in her mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re here now, ain’tcha?” Hermes shrugged. “Thought maybe you’d want somethin’ to do on your nights off. Not all the time, just when ya’ can.” He must’ve noticed the way she was still looking at him, because he switched gears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How about you think about it, and come back tomorrow? I know I just sprang a lot on you,” he admitted, as close to apologetic as she’d ever seen him. “I’ll close this place up early, and we can have a chat, yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eurydice leaned back, eyeing him. As much as still still wanted to reach across the bar and wring answers out of him, she knew that he was right. The smarter thing to do was to wait, and gather her thoughts. She hated always having to do the smarter thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you’ll still be here?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll still be here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...alright. But I’m gonna have questions,” she warned as she stood. Her legs were trembling, and she held the bar a little longer than strictly necessary.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermes grinned at her, all teeth. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eurydice didn’t remember walking home, even though she must’ve been paying attention since she didn’t trip and fall. She hung her coat up, methodically slipped her boots off before she got into bed, and screamed into her pillow.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I just discovered the The Crane Wives album The Fool in her Wedding Gown and it gave me a lot of feelings about Eurydice, specifically the songs Easier, Canary in a Coal Mine, and Steady, Steady. They don't all fit exactly but the mood is definitely there and it got me writing this in one sitting lol. </p>
<p>I feel really awkward since I don't really know the etiquette for this sort of thing so I'll just say it straight out: I made a ko-fi as a tip jar here https://ko-fi.com/b0358 . Because of the pandemic I've been out of work since March, and while I have savings and I'm not in dire straits it's still not great. If y'all enjoy what I do, feel free to drop me something. Absolutely no obligation though! I know times are hard for everyone.</p>
<p>Thank y'all for reading! I really appreciate it &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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